Lost and blind
by Rambling Puppet
Summary: HIE A young man wakes in the snow, and makes his way to Sweet apple acres. Seeking shelter he accidentally damages his eyes and must trust people he doesn't know with his life. Rating may change.
1. In the cold

Chapter 1 - In the cold

A cold wind brushed over my body, knocking me from sleep with the force of a sharp kick. An unfamiliar wetness made me sit up, calling up disgusting memories of early childhood, but I had never felt it in such uniformity around my body. The wind whistled again and I sat up, when I had gone outside?

Snow surrounded me, and only now did I really start to feel the full effect of the environment. I pulled my flannel pajama bottoms up to my ribs, trusting my socks to provide what little warmth they would provide.

Rubbing my bare shoulders I was left to ponder how in the nine hells I had ended up in the wilderness in the dead of winter. Whatever landmarks this patch of land were ground smooth by a layer of snow a few inches deep. Normally it was nothing to traverse, but that wasn't when I was virtually barefoot.

My stomach growled, but I ignored it, the numbness was quickly invading my body through my exposed skin. I'd worry about food and the mystery of abduction and abandonment later, I needed to get inside now.

There was a thick and leafless forest not far away, standing wide and vast. Its size troubled me, I knew The woods near my home was familiar to me, and I knew its edges with an accuracy that most people would associate with their route to school or work; hiking was a favorite thing of mine since childhood. This was clearly not any forest I knew.

The close vicinity to the forest made me entertain the thought of using some of the wood to make a fire but I cast that idea aside quickly. It was a decade since I had to make a fire without tools, and any deadwood I could find would likely be soaked and impossible to light.

Turning instead to the gentle hills opposite the forest, a glimmer of hope appeared. A thin but steady column of smoke rose, in my present situation I could not have asked for a better signal for aid.

It wasn't like my options were unlimited. If I stood here much longer I would freeze to death, and the forest would not offer me any measurable protection. Exposed like this, I needed to head toward whoever had that fire going.

Moving through the snow was like walking in sand. It was dry and powdery, each step kicking up a heavy white mist as the feeling drained away from my legs. Only the crackle and crunch of snow met my ears, and each breath seemed to make my lungs feel tighter. My feet were soaked, I knew they were, but sensation was beyond them now. I needed to get inside before I lost any toes from frostbite.

My destination was quickly revealed to me as I made it over the nearest hill. In my heart I felt a little warmer as I saw the smoke was indeed rising from a house, a quaint but sturdy farm house surrounded by a barn and a pasture. The ordered planting of the multitudes of trees spoke multitudes to me, having lived on my father's farm for most of my life. This had to be a generational farm, and one run with care and order from the placement of the trees and the state of the fences surrounding the main buildings. I had to smile at the number of hoof prints that went everywhere. It took a lot of hard work to use horses instead of cars, few farmers had the time to care for them, and it was nice to see a traditional farm. My father would love to meet these people.

The sign above the entrance from what must have been the main road read "The Sweet Apple Acres" in sharp angular letters. I let out a single chuckle at the quaint charm of the name. Though, I had never seen apple trees that stood so straight in all my life. Every apple bearing tree from my rual roots stood crooked, forked, or otherwise wild in some fashion.

Although the cold air bit at my insides I ran with all the strength i could muster, passing through the trees. My legs and arms were almost dead weight upon reaching the farm. I almost seemed to float to the door, giddy with my accomplishment and the promise of salvation. My ankles wobbled as I made it up the steps to the front door, giggling like some drunk as I pried my hand from my freezing body to reach for the door handle.

My hand hid wood, the door handle was set lower than the norm but I thought nothing of it. An isolated farm house was allowed its peculiarities, besides, I wanted in! All my hopes crashed when I found it locked tight.

In panic I pounded on the door with such force that I would be reeling in pain if not for the freezing nerves in my arm.

"Hey! Excuse me, I need a little help out here!" I shouted, hoping that someone inside might not be awake. "I don't know where I am, and I'm... well, without proper winter attire, let's say..."

I grit my teeth, I always had a poor habit of trying to soften my situation when it looked painfully obvious to others.

"Please! I'm freezing out here!" I shouted.

I waited on the porch, listening for the sounds of feet coming toward the door, or of activity of any sort inside. I tried the door again, but it had not magically unlocked since I last tried it. I moved around to the window, looking inside it was clean and had a definite lived-in quality to it. The fire was little more than glowing coals standing in white ash, but even that seemed a profound and terrible tease to me.

I licked my lips. Had they left for some business in town? I tried the window, locked shut, and all the other windows were no doubt similarly barred. I considered breaking the window, but what would my benefactors think when they return to find a half naked young man in their home, a shattered window, and their refrigerator raided? True no generous man would throw me out, but I wouldn't be a vandal if I had to. Besides, all the heat in the house would go out with the window. I knew these old houses, and they were never insulated as well as more modern homes.

I turned my attention to the barn, which shut with a simple cinder block to hold the door in place. I rolled it back and opened the door. The sound and sadly, the smell of pigs hit me, but it was marginally warmer inside than out. The moo of cows also rose up, as my entrance must have been mistaken for feeding time. Closing the door I almost weep as I saw an antiquated wood stove in the center of the barn.

Ignoring the clamor of the farm chattel I stumbled my way to the stove, grinning as I began to envision the warmth washing up my arms. The wind outside had been almost nonexistent, but it suddenly silenced the cows and pigs as the whole barn creaked and groaned under its force. I swallowed, hoping I was not at the forefront of some winter storm.

Again the universe seemed resolved to plot against me, as I soon discovered the stove to be lukewarm. In a panic I looked around, and thankfully whoever owned this barn kept a stock of split wood nearby. The hay I could use as tinder, and with a little searching I found some flint and steel with which to light the stove. Loading the stove and starting the fire was a frustration, but despite my limited experience with flint and steel the stove was soon radiating a powerful warmth.

The light in the windowless barn was dim, but I could see with clarity now that my eyes had time to adjust. I found a burlap sack, it was filthy and would no doubt itch like wool but at this point I'd drape anything over my bare back to insulate myself.

After removing my soaked socks and laying them near the stove I rubbed my extremities, hoping to ease warmed blood into my feet and hands. I had no doubt I'd have some frost bite, but some was better than dying in the cold. With my life or death situation over I had another concern; food. The owners might not have objections to a poor soul like me entering their home to stave off the reaper, but butchering an animal would be pushing the luck of even the most understanding rural resident.

When the sense of touch returned to my feet I began to poke around for something, anything to ease my predicament. The sack would simply not do. I quickly found the cow's feed, a healthy stock of corn, alfalfa and oats. I was tempted to take a handful just to chew on, but I held back, remembering the size of the mice that played in our old barn. The vermin loved to play in the animal feed, and putting the feed in my mouth would be the least sanitary thing for me to do save for diving into the pig pen.

I did however find a metal pail that was reasonably clean, and I hurried to gather some snow from the outside and place it on the stove. The weather outside was turning worse by the minute, and upon closing the door I was disheartened. Whomever owned this farm was unlikely to return in these conditions if they hadn't already been making the attempt.

The animals cried louder, again mistaking me for their owner. The more I looked at them the more I pitied them, if the farm owner was not to return who would feed them?

"Poor beasts." I muttered, "I know I'm probably upsetting your feeding schedule, or maybe I'm a soft-hearted idiot and you're simply begging for more than your fair share... but..."

I found another bucket and set about shoveling a ration into the feed troves for the cows. The pigs proved unwilling to eat the corn mix, but I quickly found a second store of softer feed just for them. When my work was done I felt reinvigorated, and accomplished as the animals were still munching on their meals. I dropped the bucket near the feed bins and rubbed my hands. Despite the new warmth I had I was still feeling numb. Upon returning to the stove I realized I had no way of getting the hot bucket off the stove to let the now boiling water cool.

"Lots of good ideas and none of them work." I chided myself. "The sack's too thin to protect my hands, and I filled the bucket so full it'd likely slip out of my hands and burn my feet... ah, the pitchfork!"

Gripping the sturdy farm implement I used one of the prongs to carefully take hold of the bucket handle. I felt amazingly clever for it, soon I'd have something clean to drink and to wash my hands in without having any help and without causing any damage to anything.  
The bucket proved heavy, as I expected. Without both hands on the pitchfork I would have surely dropped it and all that supposed cleverness would be proved nothing but foolishness. I got it off the stove, but as I began to lower it the barn door flew open.  
Startled, I turned to face the door a little too fast. I had barely gotten a glance at the door before a blinding pain engulfed my face and seared my eyes. I dropped the pitchfork and bucket and screamed. The pain was up my arm and across my back as well, but my face was my first and most reactionary response. I dropped to the ground, writhing in the dirt and howling from the scalding pain. Scalding being key, as I knew I had with great certainty ruined my eyes with the water I had intended to drink. I heard voices approach me, but in my hysteria I exhausted what strength I had. The last thing that registered in my mind was loud clopping footsteps approaching me.

To be continued...

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**Author's notes**: Okay, first chapter down. its been years since I had the itch to do a fanfic so this is largely me blowing the cobwebs out of my brain. Second chapter needs proofread, but its almost done.


	2. Hello, I can't see you

Blind and lost

Chapter 2 - Hello, I can't see you.

Waking up has always been an unusual thing to me. In the first seconds of returning from slumber, my first reaction is always a panicked rush to identify the sound or sensation that woke me. The alarm clock, a honk of a car horn, or my cat deciding he can no longer wait for his breakfast and sits on my chest.

This time, I cannot say what first woke me. I was aware of an irritation in my eyes; a slight itching and burning that caused me to wrinkle my brow in agitation. This simple expression of my discontent sent a mild shock of pain across my face, and the more I attempted to move the more the abrasive burning continued to increase. I grit my teeth, and tried to open my eyes. The blackness I was in was as all consuming as space itself. However, keeping my eyes open seemed to cause this searing agony to spike, and I hurriedly closed my eyes and groaned.

I reached up to touch my face, and my hand came in contact with something that felt like medical gauze. Exploring it, the events of the last night flooded back to me. The gauze was wrapped around my head, holding a cool gel pack to my face. I bit my lip as I felt my mind slip into a terrible, gnawing worry; had I ruined my eyes?

Its not in my nature to imagine the best possible outcome for myself; in others yes, I often blanket others in compliments, but I save no such kindness for myself. I have only started to really recognize this behavior as unhealthy and I took a breath to steady my hysterical mind.

"Instead of worrying about that, let's figure out where we are." I thought to myself, trying to control the loud thumping of my heart.

From my position I could obviously conclude I was laying down, and inside. I had a warm blanket around me that was a huge improvement over that burlap sack. The solid, soft mass on my left and the drop off to my right told me I was on a couch.

Presumably, I was the farm house I was so desperate to enter before settling for the barn. I could hear the crackle of a fire not far from me, the owners had brought me in and started it again to stave off fears that I was frozen near death. This was speculative of me; if I could see I would know for certain.

I grit my teeth and screamed inside my mind. "Don't focus on that, idiot! What else can we tell about this place?"

I calmed down, or I tried to. I crossed my arms, and winced in disgust as I felt a slimy film covering my forearms. Strange how I hadn't noticed it before. I raised it to my nose and sniffed, and immediately smiled. The smell was one I was well familiar with, my mother swore my aloe plants, and was adamant about keeping them in the house in case someone burned themselves doing something stupid. The farmer must have had a similar idea.

I waited, still feeling a little groggy as I took in the house's noises. The window was trembling and the wind was whistling outside. Being snowed in was a possibility, and again I knew that was speculative thinking... oh, if I could only see!

The sound of wood gently tapping a metal pot caught my attention. It wasn't in the room, but it was nearby. Was someone cooking over the fire, or was someone in the kitchen? My stomach curled tightly, telling me it was wide awake and very empty.

I sniffed the air, but couldn't smell anything that resembled food. Although, maybe that was for the better; if I had, I would likely just feel hungrier. Still, I was left perplexed by what I heard. I'm not very familiar with shoes, but the person in the kitchen must have been wearing clogs, because he or she sounded like a damn horse clopping around. Further I had to further guess it was a child, because of the quick repetition of footsteps. A child in clogs... this just gets weirder and weirder.

Opening my mouth I was about to speak when I heard a door open and the sound of the wind increase, then the door slammed shut. There was more clopping footfalls, and they were approaching me from two directions. Curious, I kept quiet to hear what they said.

"The cows n' pigs 'er just fahn, Granny." Said a young female voice. I mentally remarked that the Texan twang in her voice was thick enough to obstruct traffic. "In fact, they seemed right content. They were all chowin' down on the feed." She chuckled. "Here I thought we weren't going to get back'n tahm to feed them be'fer dark."

"Well, small blessings ah suppose." Came a wizened voice of an elderly woman. The high pitch and twang of her accent called up images of Granny Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies.

"Applebloom, any sign of this critter movin' any?"

"...Applebloom?" I mentally repeated in confusion.

My mind raced, there had been someone else in the room the whole time? So much for my little game of possum...

A much younger voice, like that belonging to a child. "It moved around a little, made a few grumblin' sounds, but then it settled back down before you came in."

Another set of clops, even more rapid the other two came closer to me. Where all of these people really short? Why would they wear clogs in this kind of weather? Then again they could just as easily ask me why I was in my pajamas in their barn.

I suddenly felt someone's breathing on my cheek. The forceful exhale told me one of them was eying me closely, and I knew that if my eyes weren't bandaged my little ploy would be over. Any of my friends could tell you that I have a terrible poker face.

Whoever was giving me a closer look suddenly poked me with something large, round, and hard.

"I know yer awake," Came the child's voice, "Now ya gonna explain why ya were in our barn?"

"Applebloom, leave the poor thing alone." Said the young woman. "The poor thing burned itself real bad back there, it prolly wants to rest."

"Okay, first, please stop with the 'it' and 'thing' descriptors." I snapped, sitting up. The blanket slipped onto my lap. My bare lap. I instantly pulled the blanket around my waist. I feel my cheeks turning red.

"Also, where are my clothes?" I added, my voice little more than a squeak due to embarrassment.

"Well, they were pretty dirty after ya were rolling around on the barn floor like that, so we got them washed n' dryin'." The young woman said in an understanding tone. "Mind explaining what happened to ya?"

I was still a little flustered about being naked in front of three women, one I presume a minor. I hated the idea, but I guess if she saw anything I can't do anything about it yet.

"You're very considerate after finding a stranger on your property," I began, clearing my throat. "I know this will sound insane, but I woke up in the snow near the forest over the hills."

"How'd you git there?" Applebloom asked, "Do you live in the forest?"

I know one of my eyebrows went up at that strange, and frankly stupid, question. "I... no. I don't live anywhere near it."

That question really derailed my thoughts. I reached up to my forehead, the stinging was flaring up again. "Perhaps I should introduce myself first... I'm Jonathan Harlow."

Again the young woman responded. "Hiya Jonathan, I'm Applejack and this here is mah lil sister Applebloom. An' Granny Smith here is the one who patched you up."

"A pleasure." I smiled, nodding a polite bow toward where I thought my benefactors were standing. "I'm sorry to be a burden on you all. I really have no recollection of how I ended up near the forest. I went to bed in my cozy little house, I laid my head down, went to sleep and then suddenly I'm freezing to death in a pair of socks and my pajamas."

Sight might have been impossible with the bandages around my head, but somehow I knew I was getting a few odd looks.

"I saw a little smoke coming over the hill and found my way to your home." I sniffed, feeling a little chilly without anything to wear. "I knocked but no one was home so I ended up in your barn. I don't know how long I was in there, probably not as long as it felt, and the animals were expecting food so I gave them something to tide them over before you could get there."

"That was nice an' all, but ya really shouldn't have." Applejack said, "We gotta keep their food really strictly regulated until spring."

"Oh I know, trust me. I know how that goes, otherwise you have to buy feed in the winter and the prices are going to be sky high." I said, "And if you have to do just that I can pay you for a few shipments of feed. I don't like to owe people and I owe you plenty already. I... would need to use your phone to call for a ride out of here. I should see a doctor about my eyes as soon as possible."

The wind rattled the windows again, as if to remind me of the snowy tempest raging outside.

"Um, what kind of foam did you want to use?" Applebloom sounded confused.

"You don't have a phone?" I frowned. Thinking back I hadn't seen any telephone poles when I had made my beeline for their door. But a child this old not knowing what a phone was? It's only been around for over a century!

There was silence for a moment.

"Applebloom, he can't see you shaking your head." Applejack then addressed me. "Ah'm sorry, but the storm's blowin' in sometin' fierce. I promise, next morning I cin take ya ta town. Ya'll be able ta git word to yer folks or friends there."

"Thanks." I said, "I'd hate to impose anymore than I already have, but... I could really use something to eat."

"Sure!" Applejack said in a cheery tone. "Um, do ya like hay?"

"What kind of question is that?" I thought, not in the mood for jokes.

"Er... Anything's fine." I said.

Again I heard the odd clip-clop of their strange shoes as the room went quiet. I sighed and laid down with the blanket covering me. The door burst open again, and a new, far heavier clip-clop of those shoes came close. I could only assume it was the man of the house. He stood there in front of me, silently, clearly eying the naked man on his couch. I gulped, fearing what this heavy man could do to me. My mind raced for a way to explain my presence in preparation for the inevitable grilling questions.

The wood floor creaked a little, I guess he was looking at me a little closer. Whomever it was, he quickly seemed to lose interest in me and left without a word or complaint. All of this was very, very odd.

I sat up as I heard more of that bizarre trotting across the floor. I shook my head, these people sounded like damned horses. I had a feeling the wood floor looked like a road map of scars from their hard shoes.

I felt something hard touch my hand, and I quickly found it to be a bowl. I thumbed around for the fork, but it could as well have been a spoon for all I could tell. It wasn't soup, or anything of the kind, otherwise the bowl would be warm.

"Um, sorry, mind telling me what it is? I'm... not really in the mood for surprises." I asked, confirming it was indeed a fork by touching it to my lips.

"Hay." Applejack explained.

"Ha ha another joke." I thought. "No one in their right mind would give a blind man... yep that's hay."

I set the bowl down, calmly as I could. "Look." I wasn't trying to hide my frustration. "I'm having a very trying day, so please don't play games with me."

"Beg'ya pardon?" Applejack sounded confused. "I thought you said hay was okay."

"Oh come on." I snorted, "I know how boring it is on a farm, and I'm in no position to refuse your aid, but you have to know I can't eat this!"

"Well sorry Ah didn't know what the heck yer kind eat." Applejack shot back.

"Again with the 'thing' nonsense!" I sputtered, now openly voicing my disgust. "I'm not some inhuman sludge to be picked off your clog-shoes so don't act so high-and-mighty!"

I sat there, smoldering in the darkness of my mine like an angry coal as I waited for some reply. Instead I heard a few more footsteps come closer.

A deep, frightening male voice spoke up. "He givin' you problems AJ?"

"Nah Big Mac..." Applejack again sounded confused, more so than before. Suddenly her tone shifted to one of realization. "Oh, waitaminute! Ya can't see so ya must think we're the same kind. Here. Raise yer uh... hooves."

I knew she meant hands, and I did so. These horse puns were getting ridiculous.

"Ah meant out in front of ya."

I slowly probed the air with my hands, feeling like some kind of blind cave cricket. I wasn't sure what exactly I felt at first. It felt like a fur coat, very short but the thick muscle underneath spoke of some powerful beast. Moving this way and that I soon discovered thick locks of hair about head height to me, and further up the brim of a leather hat. I cupped what appeared to be cheeks and felt a short muzzle.

Applejack must have seen my own state of complete bewilderment, "Starting to get the picture now?"

I felt the creature's mouth move as she talked. At once my hands ceased their movement and my mind coming to a dead stop. The room stood still and quiet as a charnel house as I felt nothing, save a need to reconfirm what I had just witnessed.

"I... I, um..." I stuttered, too dumbfounded to find any words to speak I did something spontaneous and stupid. I pinched the... talking animal's cheek.

"Ow!" Applejack cried out, pulling away from me.

I couldn't rationalize it, but this thing was clearly alive, and clearly talking to me, but was not human.

"I think... I'm going to lay down now..." I said, laying back on the couch. My stomach was long forgotten as I blacked out again.

To be continued.

Author's note: Okay, I've never really tried to do an accent before, and this was... interesting. I can't say if I over did it on AJ and her family or not. XD

beta reader: MyInnerWeirdo


	3. An apple a day

Blind and lost

Chapter 3 - An apple a day

When I woke I wasn't sure if I had. Blackness was all that met my vision. Tentatively I reached up to touch my face, and my heart sank as I felt the gauze. It was there, and I was still unsure if I would ever see again.

Instead of worrying myself sick, I tried to listen for... whatever I was sharing this house with. I could still feel 'Applejack's" short fur and muscles on my hands, my mind still reeling from what I felt. It couldn't have been a puppet, I felt a damned heartbeat!

Breakfast was either winding down or starting in the kitchen. The heavy clip-clop of their... hooves... going this way and that, and the sound of clattering flatware suggested there were multiple members of this family at work. My stomach muttered a weak growl, food sounded heavenly... even that damned hay would at least be something to chew on.

Upon sitting up I felt something roll into my chest. A quick examination proved it to be my socks and PJs, folded and pressed apparently. I smiled at the absurdity of ironing socks, but it was a nice gesture, nonetheless. I slipped my legs off the couch, being mindful to keep the blanket around my waist as I blindly but patiently managed to get my only pair of clothes on. I rolled the socks up and put them in my pockets. No sense in wearing them out prematurely.

"Hey Applejack, looks like he's up." I head Applebloom say.

"Yeah," I said, "I know I wasn't very neighborly before, but if that's the sound of dinner I'd really appricate a small morsel."

Applejack chuckled. "If it's dinner ya wont, yer gonna hafta wait. We'er havin' breakfast. You slept real good."

"Dinner, breakfast, makes no difference to me. Just... please no hay." My stomach burned, no long just suggesting but demanding to be filled.

I tried to get up, but once on my feet I felt a wave of vertigo strike me. Up became down and I flung my arm out to balance myself. I felt my knee buckle a split second before I landed on something. My arms reacted, and I quickly realized I had my arms around one of the... horses.

"Careful there pard'ner. Ya feelin okay to walk now?" Applejack's concerned voice matched the same powerful build I had my hands on.

I quickly pulled myself off her, but left an arm on her back. "I think so, but you'll have to guide me. I think I was just laying down too long."

With Applejack's help she led me to the kitchen, and I found a seat. I hated feeling so helpless at breakfast, and what made it even worse was I couldn't see the impossibility in the room with me; talking horses!

My nose was proving more useful than my eyes as I could smell the familiar scent of pancakes and maple syrup; even better, I could smell coffee! I managed to get a cup and once Applebloom had helped me locate my fork and knife I was able to eat, and didn't stop until I couldn't find anything on my plate.

"Thanks for breakfast. I feel like I haven't eaten in days." I grinned, not caring if I had syrup in my face. It was just nice to not feel like I was dying of starvation. I heard Applebloom giggle as I wiped my face with a napkin I had just found.

"Glad ya liked the viddles, yun'un." The elderly voice of Granny Smith creaked in pride. "Though, you mind answerin' a question?"

"I'll answer two, if that's what you mean." I chuckled.

"Heh, fine. I've seen a lotta critters in mah time. Ain't never seen one like you be'fer. What, eh, might you be?" I heard the creak of the wooden table, as if there was some added weight. She must be leaning on it.

"Human, I'm a human." I said, feeling very awkward saying it. I needed more information and this seemed the perfect time to ask. "Where am I?"

"Sweet Apple acres, best farm for raising apples in Equestria." Chirped Applebloom, "Where're you from?"

"A city called Toledo, or rather the outskirts. It's on the shore of Lake Erie." I said slowly, the silence after I spoke made me feel cold, colder than I was in the barn. "I've... never heard of Equestria, and something tells me you've never heard of my home."

"Sorry Jonny, never heard of Eerie lake or yer city." Applejack sounded genuinely sorry, but her tone suddenly turned hopeful. "I might not know where it is, but mah friend Twilight is the smartest pony I know. She runs the library in town, so she prolly has a map with it somewhere."

I hadn't known these people, er, ponies for long but I was starting to like Applejack. She reminded me of some friends I left behind in highschool, farm-bred and rowdy but dependable. I liked her enough to go ahead and let her keep calling me 'Jonny.' I didn't let everyone call me that.

"Big Mac," Applejack said suddenly, "I promised this fella I'd take him into Ponyville, you mind handlin' my chores for me?"

"Nope." Came that deep, rumbling voice.

"How far is this... Ponyville?" I almost choked on the name of the town. Ponyville, the name called up images of the local fair, and gaudy colors. I rubbed my head, it still burned.

"Less than a few minutes run." Applejack said, "'Course, I'll take ya straight to the hospital to get those eyes of yers checked out. Granny's good at fixin' us up but ya should see a doctor about those eyes."

"Yes, please!" I said, "But I can't just run all the way there in my bare feet."

Applebloom spoke up. "Feet?"

"I think he means those weird hooves a' his." Came that deep bass voice.

I turned toward where I thought he was sitting. I wanted to be nice to the guy, he sounded... huge. It's always a good idea to befriend the giants. "Yeah. Humans like me get frost bite pretty easily when we go out without warm clothes on."

"Tch, sounds like Rarity'll love you..." Applejack muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?" I asked, confused.

"Nothin. You cin barrow that blanket until ya can git something warm to wear. I'll go get the cart and I'll get the cart and I'll take you to there."

I nodded, "I don't think I can thank you enough for this Applejack. I hope I won't be too heavy for you to pull."

At that Applejack laughed. "I've pulled carts full of apples that were taller than you. Applebloom, you git the blanket fer him and I'll get the cart."

_._Applejack's POV_._

Getting the cart out of the tool barn was no problem for Applejack. The straps of the cart's harness were as cold as the snow that covered the snow, but the farm mare didn't complain. The empty cart felt too light as she pulled it from the tool barn. Years of hauling the cart around the farm with countless heavy loads made the wooden wagon feel childishly light.

The farm was dusted with newly fallen snow, and the sun's light was causing all manner of sparkles in the microscopic crystals. It was hoof-deep but manageable to run in, just the way Applejack like it.

Trotting it over to the back door, Applejack waved for her little sister to bring the 'human' outside. The orange mare shook her head in pity as he timidly felt his way down the steps with Applebloom guiding him. Even more sad was the way those pink fleshy stubs on his 'feet' curled up as they came in contact with the snow.

He looked so comical with those long gangly arms and legs, the pale, peach-colored skin, and the small amount of thick fur atop his head. Parts of him reminded Applejack of diamond dogs and minotaurs, but he lacked the more beastly attributes that made those creatures so fearsome. He didn't have horns, his claws were flat and useless, his ears were on the sides of his head, and he had hardly any fur save for what he had atop his head!

In the light of the late-morning Applejack could see the burns blistering around the gauze. Applejack had made it a point to force a promise from Applebloom, not to mention his burns during breakfast. Applejack had previously stated that didn't need to know how bad it looked; there was no need to scare the poor creature. The way he had the blanket pulled around his upper half like a coat added to his shame and helplessness. Granny had done little more than sooth his pain, and Applejack hoped the doctors could undo the damage done to him.

With Applebloom's guidance they got Jonny in the cart. At first Applejack thought that he would have to sit with his legs over the side, but she was amazed when he bent his legs into a pretzel-shaped sitting position and fit perfectly in the old applecart. After Applebloom secured the backboard, Applejack eased into a slow gait, not wanting to startle the blind thing into a fall.

"Ah'm gonna pick up speed in a lil bit. It won't take long ta git da Ponyville!" Applejack called back.

"Okay!" He answered, placing a hand on the side of the cart.

The cart's wheels creaked as Applejack began picking up speed, kicking up snow with each trotting step. The countryside was iced with snow from the scheduled winter storm, and high above she could see the pegasi moving the clouds to provide ample sunlight for everyone to do their work by. Winter was always a hassle to clean up in spring time, but days like this were one of the real wonders of winter. It was time to settle back and enjoy some of the wonders around us, or so Applejack liked to think.

After leaving the farm Applejack turned her head back to look at my passenger. His teeth were chattering, and his head was bowed low. "Ya okay back there?"

"Y-yeah..." He cried over the rush of air. It was obvious he was cold and uncomfortable, and trying hard not to let it show. "How much further?"

"We're almost there!" Applejack shouted over the thundering of her hooves, watching the town crawl closer and closer into view.

"So... um..." Jonny coughed, "What are the people like in Ponyville?"

"No people, just ponies." Applejack corrected with a chuckle. It wasn't often she had a chance to mimic Twilight. "But the ponies here're nice, if that answers yer question."

"Actually... I mean what will they do when they see me?" His question made Applejack stop the cart.

"Y'mean would we hurt you?" Applejack frowned, a little hurt by the question. "Ah'm takin' ya to the hospital, what makes y'think that?"

The human remained quiet for a while, shifting in the cart under as he tried to pull the blanket tighter around him. He sighed before speaking, having gathered his thoughts. "Applejack, I... I've never had to rely on someone like the way I've had to today. Much of what I love to do depends on my sight, and if your doctors can't do anything then..."

Confused, Applejack slipped out of her harness and walked around to the side of the cart. Staring at him, she could see that despite his lack of a muzzle, his strange ears, face, and the burns... there was an expressiveness that I had thought impossible. The blistering across his face and on his arms was forming red, swollen streaks. Applejack could only guess at the pain he'd be in if Granny hadn't been quick with that mashed cactus of hers. Looking at the hand gripping the side of the cart, Applejack thought of Spike's claws, but where the baby dragon's claws were sharp, his-  
Applejack clucked my tongue as she thought; "What did minotaurs call those things? Fingers! That's it!"

His fingers looked softer, gentler than either minotaur hands or dragon claws. Applejack raised my hoof and placed it atop his hand. His head jerked up at the action, but he seemed to quickly understand the gesture.

"Just try and be positive, y'don't know what the doc's will say, so don't worry." The farm mare said, rubbing his knuckles with the back of her hoof. "An' if they can't, Ah'm sure we can do somethin' to help ya. Both get you feelin' right as rain and git you back home."

Jonny didn't seem very convinced, but he reached out with his other hand and patted her hoof. His voice cracked as he strained to keep himself from falling apart.

"Th-tanks Applejack." Jonny swallowed. "If you can, would you stay with me while I'm at the hospital?"

Applejack leaned her face down to touch his hand, and both of them moved to her cheeks. The orchard owner had learned this sort of trick from Rarity; sometimes a little sweet gesture like this can give a stallion amazing self-confidence. "Ah gotta be back at the farm eventually, but I'll stay with ya as long as Ah can. If Ah do have to go, then I'll ask someone to look after ya. Ah can't leave a new friend alone in a new place, can Ah?"

His hands drifted down to Applejack's face and she smiled to let him feel it. The orange mare watched how his shoulders lowered as he returned the smile.

After hooking herself back up to the cart they made it to the hospital in record time. The doctors were puzzled by their patient s build and species, but it didn't take much convincing that Jonny required medical aid. What Applejack didn't count on was filling out her new friend's paperwork while the nurse began pulling off the gauze to examine him.

Applejack only glanced at him once, and quickly went back to asking him the questions on the forms. His eyes were worse than when she and Big Mac had found him. The scalding water had inflamed his eyes, giving them a bulged, fish-like countenance. His irises had been a hazel color when Granny Smith had bandaged his face, but now there was a milky blue tint to them. The whites of his eyes were irritated and red, and Applejack grit her teeth as she heard one of nurse hiss in sympathy for his condition.

The doctors performed their tests, taking what felt like hours. Between the inactivity and the prerequisite pain needed to visit Applejack never cared for hospitals, but somehow this trip felt worse than any trip she had to make for herself. The doctors soon lead him into a room for the optometrist, but whatever tests they performed didn't last very long. Applejack hadn't had very high hopes going into this, but the way the doctors were shaking their heads and whispering to each other when they exited told her all she needed to know.

Finally they lead Jonathan back, his face freshly re-bandaged. The human was carrying a white cane, gripped tightly in bandaged hands and he was wearing his... what did he call them? Socks?

"Ms. Applejack, Mr. Harlow here is being released into your care. He's all done." The doctor said with facade of practiced cheer. "We gave him some pain medication. He can take up to four a day as needed, try to have him rest for at least a full twenty four hours, and keep his hands and feet warm."

Applejack nodded, trying to absorb all this medical hoo-haw and keep her attention on the doctor and not the tall figure next to them. "Y-yeah I'll try. Thanks doc."

After signing the the papers for his release, the nurse handed Applejack a few more questionnaires pertaining to Jonathan's physiology, she accepted them with a smile, but fully intended on throwing them away once she was out of sight of the hospital. The bill was a final kick in the teeth, but Applejack could manage it. She had some extra money hidden away... she would have to have the barn roof repaired in fall rather than spring.

"Um doc, what's with his hands? They weren't burned when I brought him in." Asked Applejack.

"Frostbite," The doctor said nonchalantly. "Nothing that will result in atrophy, thankfully. Just keep the areas bandaged tightly and he'll be okay in a week."

Applejack shook my head, nudging Jonny toward the door. One of the nurses helped the orange mare get him in the cart and covered up. The entire time Jonny was silent, holding that cane, but occasionally Applejack heard him mutter something under his breath.

Applejack started them out toward Twilight's home, gentle as not to bump him around after all the poking and prodding the doctors had done to him.

"H-how'd it go?" Applejack asked, almost too afraid to ask.

He sat silent, turning his head away from me.

"... Jonny, you don't have to tell me." Applejack said in a gentle voice she used to reserve for Applebloom when the filly would hurt herself. "You can talk about it when you're ready."

The two kept moving toward the large tree near the center of town. Applejack didn't like making a show of Jonny, but it couldn t be helped. The streets were filled with ponies out and about on their own business, but at the sight of the strange, blind creature in the cart they stopped to gawk and whisper, some others ran in fear.

To be continued...

Author's notes: Wow, this went way longer than I thought it would, and far darker too. I have no real plan for this story, so it could go anywhere, but I don't want it to go too 'angsty.' I hope there aren't any mistakes since I seriously changed the section for AJ's POV from first to third, so there might be some rogue pronouns I missed. 


	4. First Impressions

Lost and Blind

Chapter 4 - First impressions

-

_._ Jonathan's POV _._

The whispers surrounding me as I rode in the cart weighed on what little dignity I had left. The wind was coming in small, intermittent gusts, whistling in my ears and blocking out the sounds of the citizens of this... strange place.

My mind was still at the hospital. When seeing my family doctor I always felt somewhat at his mercy; I would surrender all information to him and he would hand me a prescription for some nine syllable drug, or get a needle and thread to sew my flesh shut. It was submissive, but I understood the process and it always turned out well.

Doctor Goodbody was... strangely timid around me, and the feel of his hooves touching my burns was made all the more alien by the smell of disinfectant. Even more disturbing was the off topic questions they asked as they had examined me. I knew full well what a stethoscope was, and what a reflex test was, but they had to explain everything in full to me as if I was a six-year-old.

A bump in the road jostled me from my reminiscing, and I gripped the sides of the cart with my hands for fear of going over the side.

A muted "Sorry..." came from Applejack,

I patted my chest as if to restart my own heart, but I quickly forgave and forgot. Truthfully, I was grateful for the jolt, it pulled me out of the mire of my own self-pity.

I took a breath, pushing these thoughts to the side now. I couldn't see, but I had my other senses. Just now some small part of my mind began counting the things I couldn't do, but I silenced it quickly.

"So...what's this Twilight like?" I asked,"Should I be aware of something I should or should not do?"

"Oh Twi's a great friend of mine." Applejack declared happily from the darkness. "She cin be a wee bit obsessive when it comes ta things like learning but she's dependable. As fer what to look out fer... Well, I suppose she'll hit you with all sorta questions all day if you let her."

"So long as I get to ask question for question, I think that won't be a problem." I sighed, "Am I really the first human everyone's seen?"

"Everypony." Came an unfamiliar voice.

On a matter of reflex I turned my head to face where the voice had been. It had been female, but the strange thing is that it seemed to come from above you. Was this some giant pony that was bigger than Big Macintosh? Wait, did I hear flapping? The cart stopped again.

"Howdy Rainbow, headin' to see Twilight same as we are?" I could hear the smile on Applejack's face as she spoke.

"Yeah, I got some weird stuff in my saddlebag here so I thought I'd see if she knew what it was." 'Rainbow' chuckled, "Seems we both found something weird. Was it trying to eat Applebloom or something?"

If I didn't have a full yard of gauze wrapped around my eyes I'd have scowled at this giant pony.

"Nothin' like that, sugarcube. This here's Jonny, he got himself hurt at the barn and he needs ta send his family a letter, I figure Twilight cin help find how we cin do just that. Jonny, dis here's my good friend Rainbow Dash."

"Pleasure." I said dryly.

I felt a hoof gently prod my head, and I batted it away like a housefly.

"Please don't." I said, feigning patience when I really had very little to spare. "I just got out of the hospital."

"Ugh... been there, done that." Rainbow snorted, I could tell she was trying to sound sympathetic, but I wasn't in a mood to accept it after an introduction like that. "What are you anyway?"

"Rainbow, seein' how Twi's gonna be askin that same question, why not hold onto it?" I smirked upon hearing Applejack shut that question down.

Rainbow Dash must have agreed, as the cart began to move again. I still heard the soft flapping of wings, and it gave me something to ponder until the cart came to a halt.

Rainbow Dash provided me some direction in getting out of the cart. Upon getting to my feet I heard a rumble of whispering rising from what must have been forty or fifty mouths. I felt a lump forming in the back of my throat, attention I could deal with, but now I simply felt exposed and vulnerable.

"Look how tall it is!" "What's wrong with its eyes?" "Is it an alien?" "Applejack must have caught it!" "Looks pretty pathetic for a monster..." ""

I reached out for the side of this building, not that I could really feel it under all the bandages on my hands. I heard the sound of knocking, closely followed by a door creaking open. I grit my teeth, my socks were soaking up the wet snow like sponges and I could hear some of these onlookers coming closer.

A new voice, young like Applebloom's but clearly male was heard. "Hey Applejack, come in!"

I heard Applejack's hooves travel from the crunch of snow to the clip clop of a wood floor. "Thank ya, Spike, we er, got a friend here that needs ta speak to Twilight-"

I felt something prod me in the back, nudging me forward. I assumed it was Rainbow Dash for what it was worth and moved accordingly. The male voice let out a yelp of surprise and I paused, only to be nudged forward again. I had my feet on solid flooring again, and the door was swiftly shut behind me.

"U-uh Applejack... what..." Spike stammered. Great, I was scaring a child.

"Now hold yer horses Spike. Is Twilight home?" Again, Applejack the rescuer.

"Er, no. She just stepped out." I could almost imagine Spike with his head lowered, backing away from me in fear. Poor kid. "But she was just getting some more ink and parchment, she won't be long."

"Good, cause you know how I hate waiting." Rainbow chuckled. "How about we sit by the fire and wait for her?"

"Sure, I'll get you all some snacks." Spike ran off, oddly I wasn't hearing the sound of hooves, but of feet. Two feet...

"Come on, the doc said you had to keep those tootsies warm." Applejack began pushing me.

"Didn't you say this was a library?" I asked, setting myself down near the warmth. "Isn't it kinda... dangerous to have a fire around so much dry paper?"

I was going to use the word 'stupid' but I had to be nice... for now anyway.

"I know, but the fireplace is far away from any of the books, and its got a pretty secure screen on it. It's safe." Applejack gave a nervous chuckle, as if she wasn't exactly convinced either.

Rainbow snickered, "I think its dumb to have a fireplace when your home is a giant tree, but we can blame the pony who designed this place."

Okay, I might just like this filly yet.

"So... what are you want to talk about until Twilight gets back?" Rainbow asked, and I sat quietly until she added; "I mean you, sting bean."

My first thought was to wonder why she would call me that; and to conclude my earlier assumptions about her height were unfounded. My second thought gave me reason to smile.

"I know a few ways to kill time."

_._ Twilight's POV _._

Twilight took in a cold breath as she headed toward home in a slow canter. Her saddlebags were laden with ink and other stationary supplies, but also some tea for herself and a few gems courtesy of Rarity. The dragon had been feeling a little of the winter grays, and these would definitely put a smile on her assistant's face. The sun was arching downward, burning bright as polished brass. In another few hours the light would become ruddier and she'd have a to light her candles in order to read.

The prescience of a small mob looking in through the library's darkened windows made her raise an eyebrow. Working her way through the throng of gawkers she managed to pry the door open, but closing it proved more difficult as both stallion and mare moved to the door to look inside.

"Spike, I'm home!" Twilight called, setting her saddlebags on the stand next to the door. "Are you..."

Twilight's voice tapered off into a whisper as she heard an unfamiliar voice speaking loudly and clearly as if reciting a sonnet. The curtains were drawn tight, leaving only the light from the fireplace to color the entire main library was colored by the flames, and the shadows danced and convulsed with the unfamiliar male voice.

"In an assembly of phantasms such as I have painted, it may well be supposed that no ordinary appearance could have excited such sensation. In truth the masquerade license of the night was nearly unlimited; but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herod, and gone beyond the bounds of even the prince's indefinite decorum. There are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be touched without emotion. Even with the utterly lost, to whom life and death are equally jests, there are matters of which no jest can be made. The whole company, indeed, seemed now deeply to feel that in the costume and bearing of the stranger neither wit nor propriety existed."

Twilight was left puzzled, she had read nearly every story in every book of this library and she never heard this particular story before. Tip-toeing in as not to disturb the story in progress. Near the fireplace were the silhouettes of Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, all sitting, watching, and listening to the strange figure standing before the fires. Of the four this one left her cold, he was no pony, and she couldn't see him clearly with the bright fire behind him. He didn't notice Twilight, he seemed too engrossed in his tale as he gesticulated with his hands and head, his voice dipping and rising with the story, adding tempo and emotion to heighten the experience for the enraptured audience. She'd seen that form somewhere in her books, but she brushed off this pondering for the sake of following along with the story.

As Twilight listened, finding his performance a little too overdramatic for the somber tone of the story, but his audience didn't seem to care. The unicorn grinned, watching how Spike and Rainbow were both on pins and needles. Applejack, the poor thing had her mouth open as she sat enthralled. Twilight couldn't help a snicker, quiet but it was enough to grab the speaker's attention, and he turned his head from side to side. With the story paused, the listeners stood and looked back at her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Twilight smiled, "Please continue."

"Actually... the whole reason he was telling that story was to pass the time until you got back." The prismatic pegasus chuckled unconvincingly, "How about we halt the story here?"

Twilight gave a playful smirk as she moved to open the curtains, instantly drowning out the reds and oranges of the fire. "Oh you don't have to stop, you all seemed to be enjoying it. Though I wouldn't mind hearing it from the beginning, you left off at 'besprinkled with the scarlet horror.'"

"No, really I need a break. A story that long is hard on my throat." The male... whatever it was said. Now that Twilight had some decent light to look at it, she had to work hard to suppress a look of disgust and pity.

Spike cleared his throat and hurried to get a small plate of neatly carved carrot cake up off the floor. It hadn't even been touched since the story started, but now he was eager to have something in his stomach. It provided the baby dragon something to munch on while Applejack and 'Jonathan' together recounted the events on the Apple farm, with the 'human' leaving out much of the details of the hospital visit. Twilight pried only once about his health, and was met with a stern but polite denial.

Rainbow Dash snickered, "Really, that sounds like the weirdest way to burn yourself. What were you trying to do?"

Jonathan's brow furrowed, attempting to sneer at the pegasus... but instead faced Spike who was sitting next to her. His words were sharp and biting; "I was thirsty, and so I was boiling snow to sterilize it and the only thing I could find to drink out of. That stupid bucket. I'm well aware it was stupid, so please lets not linger on that fact."

Spike looked up from his cake, and looked between Twilight and the human that dwarfed him even while sitting. He was confused, and a little terrified, but kept silent.

"Okay, sorry." Rainbow said, managing to sound sincere. "So Twi, can you look into finding this place he talked about? Lake Erie?"

"Of course, that is if you don't mind me asking all sorts of questions about it." The scholar beamed.

"Go ahead, but I'll want to ask my own questions. One for one sounds good?" He said, sounding hopeful.

"Great!" Twilight clopped her hooves in anticipation. "Well, I'm Twilight Sparkle, and I guess you've already met Spike?"

"Yes, and I'd appreciate one of the snacks he provided. ... I haven't had any food since the hospital, and it was just a few carrots." Jonathan sighed, not seeing Spike nor the piece of cake the dragon held out for him.

Spike felt agitated at being ignored, deliberately or not. With a huff Spike grabbed Jonathan's hand pushed the plate into the human's grasp. Jonathan, perplexed, took a minute to confirm it was indeed a plate, confirmed there was food on it with a sniff. The three mares watched with awkward curiosity as the blind hairless ape in the room used its hands to eat his cake, not seeing the crumbs he was getting all over himself.

"Now..." Jonathan swallowed his mouthful of cake. "''Scuse me. I'm... still very confused about where I am. Applejack's told me I'm in Ponyville of Equestria, but... I'm used to being able to examine the evidence myself. I can't really come to grips that everyone in this land, or world, is a pony."

"Well, not everyone is a pony. I'm a dragon." Spike said with a clear hint of racial pride. "But there's also minotaurs, diamond dogs, griffins..."

"With the exceptions of those dogs, all of those creatures are from my people's ancient mythology." Jonathan let out an exasperated groan. This was all too much to handle without his sight. He grit his teeth and pulled on the gauze with a finger.

"Hey now, the docs said ya gotta keep that on!" Applejack winced, raising a hoof to touch his shoulder.

"I hate this..." He growled, lowering his head a little. "If I could see you I could at least accept this whole mess."

"What? Aren't there any ponies where you're from?" Twilight asked.

"Well, yes, but they don't talk." Jonathan calmed as he spoke, "They don't build houses, cook, or anything really."

"That's... weird." Rainbow Dash said at length. "They don't fly or use magic?"

Jonathan shook his head, "They can't fly, and there are no verifiable or reproducible occurrences that could be directly labeled as 'magic.' All human 'magicians' are either con men, liars, or talented in the art of slight-of-hand."

Twilight's nostrils flared, "Well, magic exists here in Equestria, and it happens to be my specialty."

"Well, my requirement for its existence would be to see it, but that's a bit out of the question." Jonathan grimaced, but his expression softened as he took a few breaths as his mind settled into a more logical state. "I've seen a lot of good people be suckered out of their life savings by people selling hose water as a sainted cure-all. Without my eyes I can't run an evaluation of your abilities, and if I can't look at the data or study the phenomenon myself I have to rely on hearsay. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

Twilight stared at the human while her friends watched her for some beginning explosive reaction. The room was silent save for the crackle of the fire and Spike's muted chewing. At length, Twilight stood, her horn aglow. Jonathan perked his head up at the sound of Applejack and Rainbow Dash's hooves moving away from him, accompanied by a strange, new humming sound.

The next thing Jonathan knew he was pulled off his feet by some uniform force. He let out a frightened yelp, scrambling to grasp hold of something.

"H-hey what's happening?" He shrieked.

"Just a simple levitation spell." A patient smile graced Twilight's face. "I respect your need for proof. If you were being held up by wires you'd feel yourself being held up by some point on your body."

Jonathan bit his lip, his mind was racing, calculating... but finally he gave up. "I admit... I have a hard time explaining this. But please, let me down... I don't want that cake to come back up..."

Satisfied, Twilight set him back down on the floor.

"I... have so many questions." Jonathan deadpanned, "Do the laws of thermodynamics apply when you use it? How do you compensate for the huge expenditure of energy needed to lift me off the ground without using every calorie in your body?"

Rainbow nudged Applejack, "Psst, I think we have another egghead..."

Applejack grinned and nodded.

Twilight was grinning from ear to ear as she allowed Jonathan to hit her with several more questions before touching his shoulder with her hoof. "Are you a student?"

The human scratched the back of his head, ruffling his short dark brown hair. "Not really, but I read scientific journals and listen to debates for the sake of refuting ridiculous and illogical claims. I care very much about what is true and what isn't."

"Yep, Egghead." Rainbow snickered.

"But I suppose you could say is that I'm... or I was an artist. I painted, drew, wrote a little. But it doesn't exactly pay the bills..." Jonathan frowned, his hand going up to touch the padding over his eyes. "I worked in coffee shop for the most part..."

"Ponyville has a few artists," said Applejack, "Ah'm sure we cin introduce ya to a few kindred spirits in the mornin'."

That earned the orange mare a smile from Jonathan. "That- I'd like that."

Twilight then looked to the heavily-laden saddlebags on the floor where Rainbow had been sitting. "Those seem pretty heavy, doing some weight training Rainbow Dash?"

"Eh, no. Last time I did that I wore myself out so bad I had to crash at Fluttershy's cottage." Rainbow stood and stretched her back, apparently having been sitting in that one position for some time. "Thunderlane told me saw some garbage near the Everfree forest when he was on storm duty so I went down and took a look. It didn't look like the typical stuff that'd get thrown away so I thought I'd let you take a look at it instead of just pitching it."

"Well okay, just don't go making a habit of bringing me trash." Twilight giggled as she began to walk away to get a tarp for the pegasus to spread her findings on.

That's when Rainbow unceremoniously dumped the supposed trash on the floor in a heap. The crash earning the prismatic pegasus an irritated sigh from Twilight. The lavender mare instead got a broom from the corner and laid it out for later usage. Soon Twilight was seated near the collection of oddities, using her magic to separate it out so everything could be easily identified.

One was clearly a coat, Twilight wasn't familiar with the material, which was blue, rough, and seemed extremely durable. The next was a large black shoulder bag, almost too big to fit into Rainbow's saddlebag. It contents were a large sketch book, a large assortment of dice, some strange tubes that ended in rubber nubs, and a wide box that held smaller containers and paint brushes.

But what really got Twilight's attention was several books that were sopping wet. The label 'book' was being generous, to the unicorn's memory she had only seen books with solid covers and rigid spines. These books had floppy, yet so life-like paper covers, plastered with writing, no doubt advertising what was inside. The cover sported pictures of miniature treaded vehicles, monstrous creatures with swords, and of proud soldiers bearing resemblance to the human sitting with his back to the fire. The only other things on the floor seemed to be empty candy bar wrappers, but like the rest of Rainbow's findings, they were unfamiliar.

"Well, what'cha think about all this stuff?" Applejack inquired after enduring Twilight's silent observations for several minutes. Her slice of cake was already a memory.

"On a first glance I'd say the bag and the coat belonged to an artist." She looked at her non-pony house guest, then to the coat's unnaturally long sleeves. "Call it a hunch."

"What is it?" Jonathan asked, tilting his head back and forth. "Help me out."

"I think these are some of your belongings. I don't know what all of it is, but if you explain it to me later I'll be glad to tell you more about Equestria and magic and everything else." Twilight replaced all that she had removed from the bag and pushed it off to the side, "Anyway, this can wait. Spike, get these books to my lab, and get these on my emergency book drying rack."

"Emergency drying rack...?" Rainbow raised an eyebrow.

"I've lost a few books from water damage before, so I had to come up with a way to minimize the damage. It spins and blows air across the pages so they don't all stick together in one big mass." Twilight explained, then cleared her throat, a renewed smile widening across her face.

Rainbow on the other hand yawned and stretched before getting to her hooves. "Well, it was nice meeting you Jonny, but I think I'm going to head home."

Again Jonathan felt a frown the casual use of his nickname, but

"Okay, you have a safe flight back to Cloudsdale." Twilight then looked at Jonathan, then whispered to Applejack. "Does... he have a place to stay?"

"Ah don't think so, last night he spent the night on mah couch so..." Applejack shrugged, keeping her own voice low. "Ah 'spose I could take him back to the farm with me."

"No, I can set up the spare bed for him." Twilight hoped Jonathan could fit in it, he was pretty tall after all... "I couldn't ask you to take him back to Sweet Apple Acres just to bring him back here in morning. "

Applejack frowned, "Well, okay Twi, jus' keep 'an eye on him. Ya might wan' to get him somethin' more than that carrot cake ta eat. Being that big Ah figure he can't go the day on a stack of pancakes an' a few hospital carrots."

"I know I couldn't. Why don't you head on back before it gets darker." Said Twilight, "I'll write to Celestia and we'll figure something out. She has to know more about humans than I do."

Applejack gave her friend a thankful nod before moving over to nudge Jonathan in the shoulder. "Hey, Ah've gotta get back home, think you cin manage here with Twilight?"

"I think so." Jonathan cleared his throat, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure as cider." Applejack beamed.

After thanking Spike for the cake, Applejack left her friend to Twilight's barrage of questions. It didn't last very long, as soon after his second pill he began to nod off. Twilight and Spike helped their groggy guest upstairs when he could finally answer no more questions. He refused food, despite how hard Twilight tried to press how tasty a daisy and hay sandwich sounded.

With her guest resting in the spare bed-which sadly did seem to be a little short for him- Twilight moved back to look at her maps for the lake Jonathan and Applejack had mentioned. She worked for a half hour in vain before deciding to make a report to princess Celestia.

-

_._ Canterlot _._

In Canterlot's royal bedchambers, Princess Celestia had just settled down by the fire and enjoying the last of her blackberry tea. Her trademark crown was already resting in its velvet pillow by the bed. Her crown didn't look heavy, but as she wore it through the day its weight seemed to double every two hours.

The soft, almost musical tinkling of her sister's hooves on the floor caused the sun princess to turn her head. Princess Luna was now wide awake, having slept from midday to energize herself for the night she was to create. Celestia had halted the sun at the horizon, leaving the land on the border between day and night; just has she had at the end of every other day.

"Another quiet day," Celestia said wistfully before yawning. "I wish you a similarly tranquil night, Luna."

"And may you enjoy dreams just as peaceful." Luna smiled before putting on a serious face. The Night princess stretched her midnight blue wings as she stalked toward the opened window.

A gentle puff gave Luna reason to pause, and the familiar sound of a scroll hitting the soft carpet made her curious enough to pause her nightly duty.

"A letter from the council?" Luna asked, "I would not expect you to honor such a late summons."

"You speak too soon, its from Twilight." Celestia smiled, magically holding the scroll open before her.

Luna sighed, it was likely just another report on friendship. Twilight was studious, but one of her letters could definitely wait until tomorrow morning when Luna had time to spare. The balcony provided the perfect space for the princess's launching and landings, and Luna raised her horn to dip the sun down to officially begin the night. But as she began her work, Luna became aware of a deathly silence behind her. She couldn't stop her work now, or even turn her head.

"Sister is something the matter?" She called out.

Celestia gave no response, but Luna could hear her approaching the balcony, The taller sun princess passed her sister, and raised her wings.

"I need some air. If I'm not back in the morning, take care of things for me." Celestia's tone was short and monotonous, but with an underscoring of melancholia that struck Luna like a brick. "Wait, Tia-" Luna cried, her lack of concentration causing the moon high above them to tremble and shake.

Celestia did not heed her sister, she simply spread her wings and flew off without another word.

-

To be continued...

-

Proofread by: MyInnerWeirdo

Author's notes: Okay I knew I'd start to add in my love of the romantic era of writing. I own several books by Lovecraft and Poe, and I poorly imitate them. It may seem as purple prose, but I find the way they wrote so refreshing and alive when compared to the modern ways. Each of these chapters have been written while listening to my audiobook of 'Berenice' and 'Masque of the Red Death.' I never listen to 'the Raven' anymore, while its a good story, I have heard it to the point where I can recite it almost perfectly.

And... yes, the plot finally gets a little thicker with Celestia acting weird. XD

I'm considering dropping the POV format and just doing 3rd person with focus on Jonathan, since it does seem kinda jarring to move from 1st to 3rd and back, but I want to know what you think. Should I change it?


	5. Reality sets in

Lost and Blind  
Chapter 5 - Reality sets in

Jonathan bit his lip and shifted onto his back. He felt so stiff from sleeping in the fetal position all night, but that was the only way to fully cover himself with the blankets. Thinking back to the Apple's couch, Jonathan remembered how it had managed to accommodate him wonderfully lying down; so why couldn't Twilight's bed do the same?

Rolling onto his back to stretch out, Jonathan let his feet to dangle over the foot of the bed. He wondered at the time. Was it morning, midday, or was it still night? The silence of the room told him little, but at least he had slept well, probably a side effect of the pills. He took a deep breath and relaxed the best he could. The human felt an incredible need to open his eyes, although he knew they were open underneath the bandages.

Resting his head against the pillow, Jonathan remembered tossing in turning at its over-softness. Closing his eyes, he felt it a mistake to let his mind wonder, but he could not help himself. One voice called to him from yesterday, and the feel of the wrappings around his face reminded the young man of the doctor's voice.

_"I'm sorry Mr. Harlow, but we know next to nothing about your species, and how to care for you. From the damage we have observed, your sight may never return barring some miracle."_

The doctor's words echoed and replayed several times, mocking him from the all-consuming void. A sense of panic seized him, and Jonathan sprang from his bed. But the moment he was on his feet he was lost. Should he go left, right, straight? His heart was crashing against his ribs with such violence he was afraid it would burst!

"This... is..." He heaved, flailing his arm around until he found the bed post. Using the post, he sat back down on the mattress. "Calm down... we can't get this upset. We aren't six and we aren't scared of the dark."

Jonathan could feel his hands shaking. No, everything was shaking uncontrollably.

"We need... something to occupy ourselves." Jonathan grit his teeth, the throbbing fire in his face was returning. "Damnit... we need more of those pills. It's either pills or sleep the rest of the day... and I might do both."

A new thought crept into Jonathan's mind. If that woman, no, _pony_ Twilight or her assistant were here they would have seen it. If they were asleep they would have woken up. Unless the pair were extremely heavy sleepers, they had left him to his slumber.

The clip-clop of hooves up stairs suddenly grabbed his attention, he heard the door open.

"Good morning!" Twilight called, the cheerfulness in her tone made Jonathan cringe a little bit.

"Nice to know its morning and not afternoon..." Jonathan grumbled, as he stood again. "I dreamed last night I was at my boring job, complaining about a lack of excitement. Now I wish a lack of excitement was the least of my worries."

Twilight's morning cheer dimmed, but she kept her smile. "I got Spike to make waffles, and I promise you, there's no hay in these."

Over the past two days Jonathan's stomach had been neglected far too often. The mere mention of food sent his empty belly into an uproar.

Jonathan took a adventurous step away from the bed, and then a second before remembering the steps he had climbed last night. "Can you give me a hand?"

Twilight came beside the bed, directing his hand to her back with a gentle tug with her magic. Jonathan found it unnerving, but was at least thankful for someone to warn him when the stairs started and finished.

The kitchen was quiet except for the muffled sizzle of cooking batter, but the familiar smell of buttermilk waffles seemed to gift Jonathan with some magic ability to find the table. Twilight and Spike joined him at the table, both chatting about their morning routine; namely their 'to do' list. It consisted of groceries to buy, who might be stopping by, stationary to buy and a list of ponies who were close to their overdue dates. Despite having two bandaged hands, Jonathan had managed to completely empty his plate before the librarian and her assistant were done talking.

"Jonathan, I spent much of last night reading those books of yours. They're fascinating, however I think the paper covers were poor choices on the part of the manufacturers. They aren't very sturdy." Twilight said, eyes watching the human as he wiped his mouth with his newly discovered napkin. "Er, though I'd like to get some more information, since you're clearly the target audience."

"I own a lot of books Twilight. Can you tell me the title of it?" Jonathan began feeling around the table. "Um, Spike? I had a bottle of painkillers when I came here with Applejack. I really need one."

"Oh, sure!" The young dragon diligently retrieved the small bottle of white pills, which the human eagerly took.

"I hope these things don't take an hour to start..." Jonathan winced, wishing he could just pull the gauze off. It was starting to itch, or maybe it was just the blisters. "Thanks Spike, for everything."

"Eh, no problem. If you need to thank me, thank me when you give me something really hard to do." Spike smirked.

Jonathan smirked, "How bad do I look? Is my face all red? Are blisters swollen and filled to burst with pus?"

Spike looked at the human a second. The blisters were large, and yeah they were filling with water but they weren't horrible. "Nah, they aren't that gross."

"A pity, but I guess I couldn't get more ugly than I was previously! A thing of monstrous beauty..." Jonathan chuckled.

"Oh come on, you aren't disfigured. I think when you're healed up you'll look just fine." Twilight sounded concerned, almost worried.

Jonathan smiles and waved her concerns off. "Oh I'm just joking around. Now... about those books. What were the titles?"

Spike gave a chuckle, which was quickly silenced with an annoyed look from the mare.

Twilight cleared her throat, pleased to have her house guest's attention again. "The three books all have the same title, 'White Dwarf.' What are they about?"

Another chuckle welled up from Jonathan's throat. He knew exactly what she was talking about. "Those aren't really books Twilight, they were magazines. White Dwarf is a collection of reports on new models coming out for a number of table top games that use models, dice and measuring tape. Its both a chance to create artistic pieces while being able to do more with them than look at them from behind a glass case. It also has painting tips, contests, interviews with tournament winners, all sorts of things. The game itself is a lot like chess, in a way."

"Huh, neat." Twilight smiled, even without being seen, the upward inflection in her voice told Jonathan it existed. "Maybe you could show me how it works. I do love chess."

"Me too. But I never had any real opponents. Most of the people I played were ones I taught how to play." Jonathan frowned, "I was a decent player, but I don't think I'll get the chance to play you."

"Come on, people play chess across huge distances. Its possible to play it without seeing." Twilight began levitating the plates to the sink. "I'm sure with a little memorization of the chess board, you and I could play a game."

Jonathan released a hiss as he felt the blisters on his face flare up. "Y-yeah... I'd like that."

Spike had returned from the refrigerator with a glass of milk for his waffles when he felt a familiar kick in his stomach. He turned and belched, out coming a burst of emerald flame and a wisp of smoke that transformed into a neatly rolled piece of parchment.

Hearing only the belch, Jonathan simply gave Spike an "Excuse you."

"A letter from the princess." Twilight explained for her blind guest, levitating it to a comfortable reading distance. She instantly recognized the royal seal, but instead of the familar sun, it was a half-crescent moon. "Princess Luna."

Spike filled his mouth with a syrup-glazed waffles; watching the lavender mare with curious eyes as she read the scroll.

_"Twilight Sparkle, I do not know what the contents of your last letter were, but you will find a way to redact it. After reading your message she flew off, and I know not where she is, leaving me to tend to all the matters of the council during the day. I have had no sleep, and unless she is found I will not be getting any tonight either. How in Equestria did Tia manage both sun and moon and the council for a thousand years? Yes, get me another cup of tea, please, and make it strong."_

Twilight paused her reading and raised an eyebrow. Princess Luna must have been dictating the letter, which spoke of how busy she must have been.

_"I do not even have luxury of knowing where your letter is, my sister has either taken it with her or destroyed it. Please send a summery of your letter to me, so I might be able to shed some light on the situation._  
_Signed, Princess Luna."_

"Twilight?" Spike sat up in his chair, cocking his head at his life long friend. "What's this mean?"

Confused, Twilight shook her head. "I don't know, but I should respond as soon as possible. Get me a blank scroll, quill, and ink."

"At once!" With a quick salute Spike hopped off his chair and dashed into the main library.

"Um, how will you get the letter to her so fast? Does Equestria have a post office or is it all magic?" Jonathan faltered on the word 'magic.' It still made him queasy to use such an irrational term seriously.

"If this was anyone else, I'd just use our postal service handle it. This, however, being royal business has to be sent to her faster than 2-3 weeks delivery." Twilight said, eyes flicking between the human and the door. What was taking Spike so long? "I can send it to her using Spike's dragon breath."

Jonathan sat up straight and tilted his head in confusion. "... he's a dragon?"

Twilight giggled, forgetting that even simple information like that was out of his reach. "He's just a baby dragon, but don't worry. As you've seen he's very nice."

The corner of Jonathan's mouth twitched at the word 'seen.' "Talking ponies, magic, now dragons..."

Spike returned to the kitchen, setting the scroll, inkwell, and quill before Twilight with practiced precision. The large feather was soon enveloped in a lavender aura, and again Jonathan heard that strange humming sound as Twilight opened the inkwell.

Dipping her quill in the inkwell, Twilight began her letter, but paused when she noticed the quill wasn't leaving marks. She frowned upon inspecting the inkwell. "Spike, this ink is all dried up. It wasn't closed last night."

Spike gave a nervous chuckle, "Heh, sorry... I guess I was more tired than I thought when I cleaned up last night. I'll go out to the Quill and Sofa store and get some more."

Jonathan cleared his throat. "If you need to write a letter, you can just use one of the mechanical pencils in my bag."

Twilight tilted her head at the strangely worded offer. "Mechanical what?"

Turning on his chair, Jonathan looked where he guessed the dragon was standing. "Spike, in my bag, the one Rainbow Dash brought? There are these gray things with rubber on the ends. Bring one."

After a quick nod of approval from Twilight, Spike retrieved the object Jonathan had described and set it on the table in front of Twilight.

Twilight examined the device with uncertainty. "How... does it write?"

"Press down on the rubber top twice." The human raised his fist and gestured with his thumb. "A bit of graphite will be pushed out to form a neat writing tip. If you make a mistake, just use the rubber tip to erase it."

Now more curious than ever, Twilight gave the eraser a push with her magic. With a soft click she saw the point appear, and quickly began writing her letter summery. All the while the mare pestered her guest to explain how it worked, and if it needed to be refilled. Her guest answered them all to the best of his abilities.

When Twilight was finished she handed the rolled up scroll to Spike. With a puff of flame the letter was on its way to the royal chambers. Seeing how Luna was busy, not to mention cranky, Twilight wouldn't be waiting for a response. While Spike already doing the dishes, Twilight guided Jonathan back into the library as they continued to trade questions.

"So... there's not only 'earth' ponies but also Unicorns and Pegasi?"

"Mm-hm!" Twilight nodded, "I'm actually a Unicorn, and Rainbow Dash is a Pegasus. Ponyville is populated by a even mix of all three types of ponies."

"Interesting, we don't really have any major differences like that in humans. Our skin colors are different, we vary in height, and we have a handful of hair and eye colors, but ultimately we aren't really that different from each other."

"Do you have a princess where you come from?" Twilight asked, "Or some other form of royal family?"

"Most of the countries where I'm from have a royal family in some capacity, but they're almost all just figureheads now." Jonathan bit his lip, history and American politics was never his best subject. "My country has never had a royal family. Our leaders are citizens elected by the people by majority vote in elections held every few years. The power is split between three main branches that operate to serve to keep each other in check. It's become a bloated system in the last century, but its meant to ensure that no one group rules with impunity. Absolute power corrupts, afterall. What about here?"

"Princess Celestia's ruled for nearly as long as we have a recorded history. She's incredibly wise and has guided us through many crises, and has led us in a period of peace and prosperity that's lasted over a thousand years. She mostly serves as a diplomat, but she also oversees a council that helps regulate trade, border disputes with neighboring kingdoms, but she doesn't become involved with private disputes unless it threatens the harmony of the whole nation."

"What happens if someone is a threat to the local harmony?" Jonathan asked.

"You're asking a question out of turn, but I'll answer anyway." Twilight smiled, "Normally the punishment is just a fine or community service. However... there are very rare occurrences, and I mean once in-a-century crimes that result in her having to petrify somepony or banish them to the moon."

Twilight felt Jonathan's hand leave her back. Confusion, disbelief, and disgust were all vying for control on his bandaged face. Jonathan shook his head, it all sounded like a fate worse than death. Would he be subject to such a fate if this princess found him, would she overreact?

"Um, I know this is three questions in a row Twilight..." Jonathan said at last, holding up a hand. "But... I'd like to go home. Did you find anything last night?"

Twilight's ears bent back, looking back at the stack of open atlases on the floor. Her silence only succeeded inciting a sense of dread in Jonathan.

"Twilight... you were able to find a way to get me back home, right?" He said as length, his hand trembling as it rested on her back.

"I... I'm sorry, but I couldn't find it on any map of the known world. I even went so far as to check my copies of foreign lands but I can't find any Lake Erie, Toldeo, or anything like you described. I can't even find anything on humans in my books." Twilight bit her lip, her books and years of laborious study had never failed her like this before.

Sinking to the floor, Jonathan sat beside the mare-unknowingly in the middle of the main library. "I... was suspecting I wasn't on my world the moment I realized Applejack wasn't human. That just raises too many questions, ones I can't even fathom an answer for. You really found nothing?"

Twilight set a hoof on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I even contacted the Canterlot library, and they said they've never heard of your kind, or your home. But you had to come here some way, thus there has to be a way back, right?"

"Twilight, I'm not in the mood for false hope." Jonathan rubbed his eyes. That painful itching feeling was starting to flare up again. "I'm in a strange land I know nothing about. Right now my family's probably noticed I'm not there. My boss probably left a message that I'm fired..." Jonathan's voice cracked, shaking to hold back tears that felt like salt in an open wound. "and to top it off your doctors said my eyes are shot."

Twilight bit her lip, not wanting to admit out loud that her words had backfired so spectacularly. She'd read books on Ponies who'd lost a leg, wing, or horn in accidents, and each had to overcome severe periods of depression, but she had blessed never to have something of that nature occur to anyone she knew. Now that this very event was taking place right in front of her, she felt helpless to provide adequate comfort. In her desperation she wondered; what would Princess Celestia do if she were here?

Taking that in mind, the lavender mare pulled him into a soft hug. He stiffened up in surprise, but she soon reciprocated the embrace, burying his bandaged face in her shoulder and began to silently weep. No tears showed, all were absorbed by the gauze and cotton.

Memories of Cadance came to Twilight's mind; how the princess would comfort Twilight when she was a little filly. She rubbed his back in small, gentle circles. She at first moved her cheek in to nuzzle the human, but aborted when she remembered his tender facial blisters.

"I know things are going to be hard, but trust me; we ponies aren't the kind to just throw those in need out in the street." Twilight said softly, mimicking her old foalsitter's soft tone. "Until we can find a way to help you, you have a home here in Ponyville."

"I know, you've been more than generous..." Jonathan patted her back then broke the hug. "I... should be objective about this. I'm just... I dunno..."

"Take a breath, then find the right words."

Jonathan took a deep breath, feeling a little more centered afterward. "I... Twilight, you use magic... can your magic fix my eyes?"

"That... sort of magic's best left to a medical professional." Twilight sighed, "I'm great at magic but I'm no doctor. Medical magic takes a profoundly steady hoof, and I've never tried to mend bones or anything. I'd make a mistake for sure and cause you even more harm."

"Please Twilight, I'll do anything if you just try." Jonathan begged, hanging his head. "I'm an artist, a groundskeeper, an avid reader... everything I do and love revolves on having good eyes. Even if there's a risk I'll take it."

"Jonny, please. I could make your head explode by accident, or overcharge your nerves and make you lose your sense of hearing too. You're asking a nurse to perform brain surgery." Twilight kept her tone apologetic, never before feeling so useless.

The human's shoulders slumped, "Twilight... please take me back upstairs. I just want to go to sleep again."

Without another word Twilight eased herself under his arm and guided him upstairs. She watched Jonathan work his way under the covers, but before she left she set a cowbell Applejack had gifted her one year as a gag near his bed.

"If you need another pain pill, just ring the bell. I'll come galloping." Twilight said softly before leaving the room quietly.

Twilight hated to leave him like this, knowing how much turmoil her guest was going through. The only other alternative was to stay with him, and that would likely come across as smothering. She'd give him space, let him rest and hopefully he'd calm down.

A knock at the door called the lavender mare back down to the main library. Twilight she glanced at the clock, it was a quarter past nine, fifteen minutes past her usual opening time.

"Hold on, we're a little late opening. I'm sorry!" Twilight called, undoing the lock as she changed the sign in the window to 'open.'

The door opened with a woosh and in came Twilight's well meaning but often eccentric friend Pinkie Pie. The strawberry pink mare was wearing pots and pans, pillows that had been tired around her with rope, and a hoofball helmet.

"Twilight, as you're friend I'm here to help you take care of the monster that Applejack brought you." Pinkie rambled, "When she told me that there wasn't a cage and that it scared Rainbow Dash, I hurried over here as quick as I could!"

"Pinkie, there's no need for that. He's-"

"No need? But come on, rumor has it that its bigger than Celestia and has a huge club!"

Twilight rolled her eyes.

Pinkie continued; "I mean, the crowd outside was saying that-"

"Wait, crowd?" Twilight opened the curtains to see Roseluck and Bonbon looking in. Twilight instantly closed the curtains again and looked to Pinkie. "Come on Pinkie, I'll need a little help getting everyone out of here."

"Everyone else? Oh, right. Maybe a smaller group can seem non-threatening, and then we can make friends with it. Good idea Twilight!" Pinkie instantly threw off her improvised armor and turned to face the door.

Twilight let out a tired sigh, how did Pinkie always have so much energy? She opened the door and lead her friend outside. "Okay everypony, let's back up. If everyone wants to take a book out that's fine but if you're here for a ..."

_._Upstairs _._

Jonathan laid on his side on the bed, hands gingerly unwrapping the bandages around his face. It felt good to have the damned strips off his face, but he kept the last circle on if only to hold the cooling pack to his face. hovering in the boundaries between sleep and reality. His thoughts were centered on himself, but mixed between words and feelings as he drifted off to an uneasy slumber.

Unknown to the human, the latch to Twilight Sparkle's bedroom balcony began to glow with a golden aura, and slid open without a sound. The same glow gently pushed open the doors, and closed them. A shimmer in the air rippled, and little by little the form of Princess Celestia appeared.

_"I'm pleased to know I can still perform an invisibility spell. I haven't had to use such a spell in nearly four decades."_ The white monarch's smile faded as she looked to the bed, and the obvious non-pony creature laying on it. _"It feels like I haven't seen a human in a thousand years."_

Her tall horn glowed, silencing her hooves as she walked closer.

"_Its face is bandaged..."_ She shook her head. _"I shouldn't be surprised. Twilight's letter explained everything in her usual detail... although I had envisioned it... him, older... His face, how pitiful. It's no wonder some of my little ponies are treating you with such compassion."_

The human seemed to shift in his sleep, causing the celestial princess to back up, her silent-step spell dissipated. The princess's hooves were like meteor strikes upon the wooden floors in the silence of the room.

The human jerked up in the bed. His one remaining band of medical cloth hung in front of its face by his ears, but the heavy pack that had been held there fell into his lap, which his hands hurried to identify.

"Twilight?"

The voice was shaky, almost terrified. It filled the princess of the sun with a fear, a paranoia that she had not felt in an untold amount of time. She grit her teeth, trying to control her breathing as she waited silently, holding he would return to his rest.

He reached up to his face, as if to confirm that the object in his lap was indeed the blue gel pack. Celestia could see his throat muscles move in a swallow of air as he moved a trembling hand up to the limp bandage that veiled his vision. Slowly, he pulled the bandages back, and Celestia felt her throat tighten in disgust and fear as she saw two pale, vulture eyes peek out at her.

They were narrow, as if trying to see through a blinding light but slowly they opened wider, moving as if they were watching a housefly. Celestia soon calmed herself, the human was just as unaware of her presence as before.

Mr. Harlow, as Twilight had so documented as his name, hung his head. "Next thing to go will be our hearing... or our mind. Come one come all, see the only living human, rendered blind and deaf and mad by a bucket of boiling water... yes we'd be a great source of amusement for these ponies."

Celestia looked to the window lattice, then at the door that was the only other exit. Memories of humanity and its characteristics bubbled slowly back to her current recollections with the violence and unwelcomeness of firecrackers in a funeral home. Feelings of shame and rage caused a few tears to be shed, though the princess was unsure of what their source was. Was it pity for his injuries, or was it from some forgotten memory of his race's actions. She could feel it on the rim of her mind, but could not reach it as much as she tried.

The human replaced the cooling pack to its face and rested its head on the pillow, shedding a few tears of its own.

"Yeah, I bet we'd get rich scaring the children." He gave a bitter chuckle.

No longer able to stand the creature's company, Celestia hastily recast her silent-step spell and backed to the window. She didn't bother closing the balcony, or the lock. Her wings carried her as fast as she could, beating almost as fast as her frenzied heart.

-  
To be continued...  
-

Author's note: Ominous, ain't it? =3

I didn't get a single response as to the POV changes, so I decided 'fudge it' and tried pure 3rd person.

Proofread by: MyInnerWeirdo


	6. Mysteries

Lost and Blind

Chapter 6 - Mysteries

Twilight leaned against the door, finally back inside after convincing the crowd to disperse. Well, she hadn't done much but become a lightning rod for wild questions about the monster Applejack had captured. The scholarly mare now moved to the library's kitchen to acquire headache medication. Twilight had attempted to correct the crowd, but all of her answers were lost under the assault of more and more ludicrous questions.

After tending to her stress-induced headache, Twilight took a moment for some deep breathing exercises. With each breath she felt herself grow calmer and calmer. On the counter by the sink was the bottle containing the human's -Jonathan's- painkillers. Levitating it closer, she examined the tag on the bottle and winced. It was vicodin, a common painkiller among ponies, but the dosage was a pathetic 100 miligrams. Were the doctors playing it safe with him because they had no idea what it might do to humans?

Twilight's thoughts crept back to how the crowd had finally been dispersed. Pinkie had shouted about a party she was planning for 'the thing.' Sometimes it was the few predicable things about Pinkie Pie that could give a mare gray hairs. The quiet of the library was suddenly a little too complete, and Twilight trotted out into the main library to investigate.

The sight of Spike curled up near the fire caught Twilight's attention; The young dragon was snoring with his arms folded under him, and was close enough to the fireplace that it would have burned any other creature. It was curious how Twilight hadn't noticed him when she had re-entered her home.

Twilight nudged the dragon with her hoof, rousing him from his mid-morning nap. "Spike, wouldn't you be more comfortable in your bed?"

Spike groaned in protest of the hoof shaking him, but he nonetheless sat up. "Too noisy."

"Does our house guest talk in his sleep?" Twilight asked.

"Not in his sleep, he kept rambling to himself like he didn't know I was there. That, and Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie." Spike rubbed his eye. "Why'd you let her up there anyway?"

Twilight's eyes widened, her head whipping around toward the door at the top of the stairs. The lavender mare rushed to the stairs, but before she could open the door it opened and Pinkie's head poked out.

"Oh, hey Twilight, mind scooting to one side? I'm coming down." Pinkie said, her usual cheerfulness oozing from each word like honey.

Twilight slunk to the wall, and caught a glimpse inside her bedroom before Pinkie closed the door. Jonathan was sitting up on the bed, looking as perplexed as Twilight felt.

With the door closed once more, Twilight followed her friend down. "Pinkie, what did you do up there?"

"I talked to him." Pinkie said, as if talking to a completely unknown creature was the most natural thing in the world. "and I feel so silly thinking he was a monster earlier. He said he he liked cake, parties, and punch, and no monster likes cake, parties, and punch!"

Twilight frowned, "Pinkie, he really isn't feeling well. He's clearly confused, separated from everything he knows-"

"I know!" Pinkie emphasized with a hoof stamp. "All the more reason to get everypony in town to know him so he can make friends and feel comfortable!"

"While that's commendable Pinkie... this isn't as simple as welcoming just another pony to town." Twilight tapped the side of her head with her hoof. "He's injured, and he needs time to adjust-"

Twilight paused when she noticed Pinkie looking at the floor. The pink mare's attitude had taken an uncharacteristic dip. Pinkie drew circles on the floor, clearly thinking, which was a rare sight for Twilight.

"Pinkie?"

Pinkie looked up from the floor, an unheard of level seriousness in her voice. "I'm supposed to greet everypony and make them think Ponyville's a great place. He told me that his first experience in our town was snow, then losing his eyesight. I wanna throw him the biggest, warmest party... but I've never thrown a party for a blind pony, much less a blind... um..."

"Human." Twilight said, giving Pinkie a patient smile. "And don't worry, your heart is in the right place. "

"Yeah, it's in my chest." Pinkie smiled, returning to her usual cheeriness. "Thanks for the joke Twilight, but really, maybe you could tell me some things to get him? What cheers him up?"

"Why are you asking me?" Twilight blinked, "Didn't you ask him that?"

"Yeah, but he just got really quiet when I asked him what his favorite color was." Again, Pinkie looked dejected. "He's been here since last night, and I know you like to ask questions."

Twilight decided to take that as a compliment, and the librarian guided Pinkie toward the kitchen. Spike could have his nap while she entertained her guest. "Well... he did ask for something called 'coffee.' He said it was like tea but wasn't, and he seemed pretty upset we didn't have any."

Pinkie tilted her head back and tapped her chin with her hoof. "Hm, I think I heard its some kind of special tea from Saddle Arabia. What else?"

"Well, he was a painter, a gardener, and he loved books." Twilight chuckled, "And I think he's a decent story teller."

"That's not a lot to work with..." Pinkie bit her lip, "I'd have to cut out most of the games I know..."

"Pinkie, maybe you're over thinking this." Twilight offered, "Sure he might not be able to see all the streamers and decorations, but the ponies who show up will and they'll expect a real Pinkie Pie party. While I think this is a bit sudden, getting everyone used to him would be a step in the right direction."

"That and it'd get all the ponies to stop talking about him like he's a monster." Pinkie added.

Twilight blinked, struck silent. "What?"

"Well, all sorts of rumors are flying around since yesterday. Daisy, Roseluck, and few other mares are scared silly. Kinda like the whole Zecora incident but it's weirder than that. Lyra's being... Lyra..." Pinkie winced.

Twilight had to stifle a chuckle. Pinkie was weirded out by Lyra? Really?

Pinkie continued, "Lotsa ponies are saying Applejack should get a medal for bringing in a dangerous creature, and a lot of the same ponies are saying he looked like he had mange and Applejack should've just dumped him in the Everfree forest."

"That would have killed him for sure. He said his people originated in a warm climate and spread out because they discovered how to make clothes." Twilight set out a tray of ants-on-a-log she had been saving for late night snacking. "That might be a good gift idea. We have his jacket drying, but he said his pants weren't meant for winter wear. You could get Rarity to make some clothes for him as a party gift."

Pinkie began bouncing in place, making that strange springy sound as she did so. "Now that's something I can use! But, if he doesn't like the cold, why was your bedroom window open?"

Twilight had just taken her first bight of celery, peanut butter, and raisins when Pinkie mentioned the window. A bulge of food stuck out in her cheek as the gears began to turn in her head. It didn't make any sense for the human to open it. He'd have to blindly navigate her room to do so, then back to the bed where Pinkie'd seen him. A pegasus couldn't have opened it, her windows were locked from the inside and the locks were shielded against all common forms of magic.

At long last, Twilight spoke, "Not a clue, but you did close it?"

"Yeah, when I mentioned it to Jonny he said he wanted it shut." Pinkie then grinned, "Oh I got a brilliant idea!"

Twilight braced herself and set her snack down. She didn't want to be remembered as being the prominent student of Princess Celestia who died from choking on a foal's snack.

"Just look in your books and find a spell to turn him into a pony! No pony would think he's a monster, and he'd have a nice warm coat!"

Twilight flinched, "P-Pinkie! That's... no!"

"Why not?" Pinkie asked, tilting her head.

"I can think of a dozen reasons to start!" Twilight exclaimed, "First, a permanent polymorphing spell takes incredible talent and magic. I'm not sure if I could pull it off on my best day! Also, changing him into a pony without his consent... it'd be a horrible violation of his body!"

"Well, there goes that idea." Pinkie sighed, "The mayor wants me to throw Applejack a party for saving the town from an ogre... I don't remember an ogre coming to Ponyville, though."

There was a thud as Twilight laid her head on the table.

"She means Jonathan. Ogres are only ever seen in the deepest parts of the Everfree and they never come close to Ponyville..." Twilight lifted her head from the table, "I know I was apprehensive about you throwing a welcome party for him, Pinkie, but if the mayor thinks he's a danger then a party showing he's not is the best course of action."

Pinkie grinned, "So I should..."

"Talk to Rarity, then see about getting everypony to meet him." Twilight didn't like this. Twilight trusted Pinkie Pie's talents at parties, but she felt like this was really pushing her luck. "How soon can you get something thrown together?"

From underneath her tangled, cotton-candy mane Pinkie produced a small notepad and quill. Licking the end of the quill Pinkie began flipping through the pages, looking very serious as she let out an occasional thoughtful 'hm.' Twilight was starting to think Pinkie was mocking her own studious tendencies when at last the pink mare stuck the quill behind her ear.

"Tomorrow's good, but I don't think we can fit all the ponies you're talking about in Sugar Cube Corner." A beaming grin came to Pinkie's face. "That just means I'll have to ask if I can use the town hall."

Twilight's nose scrunched up, "Just like that? Don't you need to make an reservation months in advance?"

Twilight wasn't kidding. Despite being a relatively small town, the town hall housed all manner of local events. Club meetings, political events, just to name a few. There was some speculation some ponies got slots just to sell them for a profit, but Twilight never believed rumors of that sort.

"Well yeah, but I always reserve a few hours every week, and if I don't need them I give the slot to someone who could use it." Pinkie looked like she could barely contain herself now, her hooves dancing on the floor of Twilight's kitchen. "If I'm gonna be ready I'm gonna need to start up my invitation press!"

"Invitation press?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you don't think I hoof-wrote every one of my invites when it comes to inviting everyone in town?" Pinkie bounced toward the kitchen door. "Oh, Twilight, while I'm here, can you RSVP right now?"

"I'm coming Pinkie, you don't need to get me an invite. Let me get you Jonny's measurements."

Twilight disappeared into the library, but quickly returned with a stack of papers, her research no doubt. "Here, let's see... his measurements. I took them this morning when he was asleep."

Now it was Pinkie's turn to give her friend a raised eyebrow.

Twilight gave a nervous chuckle, "Hey, don't make this seemed weird. He was in no mood to answer any more questions, and he never knew. This way the clothes will be a genuine surprise."

Placated by the prospect of delivering a 'genuine surprise,' Pinkie grinned from ear to ear. "Alrighty, I'll get these right over to Rarity!"

Handing the slip of paper over to Pinkie, Twilight watched as the bubbly mare scarfed down the rest of her snack and trotted happily toward the door.

Nibbling on her celery, Twilight looked out the window. Did the sun seem a little crooked somehow? Suddenly it dawned on her that with Celestia gone Luna had probably raised the sun. To think of Celestia shirking her duty was unthinkable, the sun princess had always been an ideal role model for Twilight. What exactly had set her off?

"I better keep this under wraps..." She thought, "If everypony knew Celestia ran... no, she'd never 'run away.' If everypony knew Celestia took a sabbatical because of Jonathan, no pony in town would accept him. A mob might even form! Well, one that's not as friendly..."

This didn't sit well at all with Twilight. None of it did. Far too many questions remained unanswered, and the more she thought about it the more questions seemed to pop up. Worst of all, she couldn't in all good conscious grill her guest for answers. Was this another test from her teacher?

_._ Canterlot _._

Luna had barely a moment's rest since she had raised the sun this morning. It had been a task that made her feel like a complete amateur. Having seen her sister done it countless times, Luna had done her best but despite her efforts the Sun's path seemed lopsided and sluggish.

The day had been a nightmare of bureaucracy and appointments, all of which Celestia had abandoned on her sudden departure to parts unknown. The only option Luna had to search for her sister was to put the guards on alert while she tended to the logistics of the palace and attend the matters of the Court of the Sun. As the hour finally came to close the Court of the Sun, the night princess was more exhausted than she had been in an age. For the first time she felt like sleeping through her own night.

Still, even as the hour to raise the silvery moon drew close Luna was traveling the halls of Canterlot Palace to one of the innermost chambers. One of the royal guard had come to her, alerting Luna of her sister's abrupt return and subsequent self-incarceration within the very doors before Luna.

In a thousand years the castle had changed much, but Luna knew that this chamber was utterly untouched by the hoof of time. The doors of the castle were often tall, meant to allow pegesi to move about above other ponies to ease traffic; however the doors to the meditation chamber stood only a little taller than Celestia herself. The entrance to this room was made of marble and reinforced with iron bars. Luna tried to open it, but quickly found the door was as immobile as the wall itself.

Luna knew the room intimately, having spent a whole day inside its stark, quiet walls after her return to recover from the ordeal of letting go of ten centuries of anger and jealousy. There were no windows to spy inside, but there was one option Luna had. The slot beside the door meant to quietly offer food to the occupant within, if the other end wasn't similarly shut tight then Luna could peer inside.

Luck was with Luna, after lifting the bronze cover Luna could not only see but hear her sister as Celestia paced a trail back and forth on the bare rock floor. The elder diarch would have been unrecognizable by her subjects. Celestia's windswept mane was whipping wildly about as if in a gale rather than a breeze, lines were thick under her eyes, her crown was cast off and lying in the corner by the humble mattress that served as a bed. The echo of her hooves beat loudly, almost managing to drown out Celestia's self-directed whispering. Occasionally the sun princess would shake her head and mutter a loud 'no' or 'that won't work.'

Knowing the gamble of disturbing her sister, Luna never-the-less cleared her throat. "Tia?"

Celestia nearly jumped out of her skin, and her wings flew out as if she were expecting an attack. When her eyes fell on Luna peeking in through the offering slot she relaxed, but a sad frown remained. "Luna, please close the slot."

"You look terrible sister. Where have you been? I've been..." Luna wanted to sound angry, but a yawn midway though her admonishment stole the force from her tone. "...worried sick!"

Celestia averted her gaze, feeling sick at the sight of Luna. "I promise I'll be out to raise the sun Luna. Please, I need to be alone."

"No Tia, after the day I've had I want answers." Luna's eyes narrowed, trying to look imposing through the over-glorified mail-slot. "Does this have anything to do with Twilight's discovery? The human creature?"

Celestia's only response was a twitch of her tail.

"What are they, sister, to vex you so?" Luna wished she could just come in, if she kept standing in this position she'd create a whopper of a kink in her neck. "Before tonight I have never heard of their kind."

Celestia sighed, staring at the gray wall of the chamber. "No pony has, and I am not certain if I have or haven't. I remember... yet I don't. When I looked upon the young human it was all so clear, but minutes after I departed his presence I... it just fell away from me like sand between one's hooves."

Luna's eyes widened; there had been no report of an aero-carriage been missing. "You went all the way to Ponyville and back in one day? No, nevermind that. Sister, rest yourself tonight. Perhaps while you sleep I could help you unbar whatever door is shut."

Celestia turned, facing her sister. "You mean to enter my dreams? Lulu, you look far too weary for that. Perhaps tomorrow night-"

"You're stalling." Luna snapped. "Tia, if you are afraid of what you might find you need only say."

"I am afraid." Celestia shot back, but her agitation quickly melted away revealing her undercurrents of confusion. "I felt so angry when I looked at him. Not just angry but sad... and ashamed. I did something, something terrible, or maybe the humans did. If you have no memory of them then perhaps whatever it was happened in the years after I... sent you away."

Luna's face softened. "Tia, please, come out. I won't press you for anything more tonight, and if you want to wait I will abide by your wishes. But please, do not feel guilty for what you had to do. I've already forgiven you time and time again. I'll say again, please come out."

Celestia stared at her sister for a long, silent minute in which the snow-white alicorn was still as a statue. Little by little Luna could see that Celestia begin to tremble, her sister's mind was drifting away back to whatever she had been obsessing over. Before Luna could open her mouth to speak again the offering slot was forcibly closed from the other side.

Dejected, Luna straightened herself up. She grit her teeth before bellowing an exasperated "FINE!" at the door before turning toward her bedchambers. She took the most direct route, avoiding her guards as she didn't want them to see her weeping for her beloved sister.

To be continued...

**Author's Note:**

Okay, proof that this story might be on Hiatus but its not dead. I hope this isn't teasing you all too much. I liked coming up with the meditation chamber, its a minor detail to the scene but it was fun to imagine what it might have been used for. I got my fire back for this story, the big trick will be writing this story and Lord Barleycorn at the same on FimFiction.

Proofread by thefluffyone


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